Riot officers intervened after a 1,000-strong crowd, led by black-clad hardliners wearing goggles, helmets and masks and brandishing anti-capitalist banners, began to trek across Pittsburgh towards the conference venue.

The Group of 20 is a forum for the world's biggest developed and emerging economies and its meetings are a magnet for anti-capitalists opposed to what they see as an undemocratic body promoting inhumane free market policies.

Police in riot gear blocked the main roads leading to downtown Pittsburgh from the gritty neighborhood from which the demonstration set off, forcing groups to divert onto side streets as they sought a gap in the cordon.

About half-an-hour into the march, the police began broadcasting a pre-recorded announcement in English and Spanish, declaring the protest was an "unlawful assembly" and ordering the crowd to disperse.

"If you do not disperse you may be subject to arrest or other police action. Other police action may include actual physical removal, the use of riot control agents and or less-lethal munitions which could cause injuries."

Some heeded the police warning, but others peeled off and ran up Pittsburgh's maze of streets, looking for alternative routes to the summit.

Riot police blocked a group of several hundred on a narrow side street and fired pepper gas grenades at them after half a dozen youths raced down the road, pushing a rubbish dumpster (wheeled skip) towards the line of officers.

The bulk of the march melted away, coughing, sneezing and with tears streaming from their eyes, but a few pockets of diehards ran scattered through the working class district of Lawrenceville, taunting police lines.

"They pushed us into a side street in a residential area and then shot tear gas at us. They shot like three cannisters," demonstrator Ross McCoy told AFP. Police later said the substance used was pepper spray

CONTINUED (http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iR_D-oT-BIbZcneH3luorK4hxEsA)

NJCardFan

09-25-2009, 02:54 AM

Wow. Typical. But for fun, let's keep score.

9/12 protests: Anywhere from 75K to 1.5 million(depending on who you believe) right wing Nazi brownshirt mob. Arrests: 0

G20 protests: 1,000 left wing anti-capitalist progressives. Arrests: 17-19 and teargas and riot squads had to be deployed. This is only going to get worse.

PoliCon

09-25-2009, 10:21 AM

Wow. Typical. But for fun, let's keep score.

9/12 protests: Anywhere from 75K to 1.5 million(depending on who you believe) right wing Nazi brownshirt mob. Arrests: 0

G20 protests: 1,000 left wing anti-capitalist progressives. Arrests: 17-19 and teargas and riot squads had to be deployed. This is only going to get worse.

How many 9/12 and tea party protesters have you seen wearing masks? Masks are standard practice with the TOOLS protesting the G20.